Andover Dental CareAppointments: (978) 470-8855

Charles McQuade D.M.D.

Andover Dental Care

For patients who need wisdom tooth removal in the Andover area, Dr. Charles McQuade can help. If your wisdom tooth are impacted or need to be extracted, you can trust our highly trained professional team.

Your comfort and long-term oral health are our first concerns. We're committed to providing you with the gentle and skilful care you deserve.

Charles McQuade, D.M.D. is an experienced Andover area gum disease dentist known for his gentle approach to periodontal surgery.

If you have abscessed teeth, swollen gums, or infections, our caring team will make you comfortable during your procedure.

Don't delay the gum treatment you need any longer. Let us relieve your pain and restore your gums to health.

If you're looking for dentures that look great and last, look no further than Andover Dental Care located in the Andover, MA area. Charles McQuade, D.M.D. will assess your needs and fit you with durable, comfortable, natural-looking dentures - at a price you can afford.

Andover area gum disease dentist Charles McQuade, D.M.D. has extensive experience with gum grafting. If you're suffering from exposed roots or receding gums, we can help.

Our caring, professional team can perform the periodontal surgery you need. You'll once again be able to enjoy having healthy teeth and gums.

Would you like a whiter smile right now? In the Andover, MA area, Andover Dental Care offers in-office tooth whitening for quick results. Dr. Charles McQuade applies a bleaching solution to your teeth which is then accelerated by a high-intensity light. Teeth can often be whitening in one or two one-hour sessions - perfect if you're looking for a quick and easy way to brighten up your smile.

Child's Dentist: Tongue Piercing Damages the Mouth

Tongue piercing carries some very serious risks. It can cause a wide range of problems, some even permanent. The pain from the piercing itself might be much more than temporary. It can actually get worse because of excessive swelling and infection and require medical treatment.

The mouth is a hard place to sterilize, so infections are common. Piercing establishments don't always maintain a sterile environment either. They are not regulated by law and many operators are not even licensed. The piercing operator might not be experienced or be thinking of your health and safety. He or she may not even know that the tongue has major blood vessels within it. If pierced in the wrong place -- bingo! You bleed badly. Excessive swelling of your tongue can even block your breathing passages.

The tongue is a breeding ground for bacteria. Piercing the tongue causes an open wound. Bathing it in antiseptic mouthwash isn't enough to kill bacteria. Without the ability to keep bacteria out, infection can develop, and lead to throbbing pain and a trip to the doctor or dentist.

Even if you get through the piercing without too much pain, swelling, or bleeding, you still run the risk of other complications. The jewelry might chip your teeth. It can damage your teeth from the inside, too, and that trauma may require an expensive root canal or crown. Over time, the jewelry can irritate your gums. Or, your fancy jewelry can go right "down the tubes" -- you might swallow or even choke on it, or have it lodge in your lungs.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Oral Disease: Talking To Children About Tobacco

Over the past several decades, the number of adult smokers has substantially declined, however, the number of youths who smoke has remained unchanged. More disturbing is the fact that the use of snuff (also called chewing or spit) tobacco has tripled.

Tobacco use is the largest avoidable cause of death and disability in the United States. A tobacco-related illness or condition is the cause of 25% of all deaths in the United States. On average, each smoker who dies would have lived another 15 years if he or she were a non-smoker.

Smoking causes or contributes to the following diseases and conditions:

Lung cancer

Laryngeal cancer

Esophageal cancer

Oral and oropharyngeal cancer

Cervical cancer

Bladder cancer

Pancreas cancer

Kidney cancer

Heart disease

Emphysema

Chronic bronchitis

Stroke

Slows wound healing

Slows illness recovery

More than 9,000 individuals die each year from oral and oropharyngeal cancer. The risk of having oral and oropharyngeal cancer is much greater among tobacco users. Over 90% of people with oral and oropharyngeal cancer are tobacco users. The mouths of tobacco users have more red and white patches and nodules, sores, and ulcers that could be oral and oropharyngeal cancer. Tobacco users also have a higher incidence of gum disease, coated tongue, cavities, wearing of teeth, and gum recession.

Also consider that about 3,000 children begin to smoke each day. Approximately 90% of new smokers begin before age 20, and children and adolescents who smoke become addicted faster than adults do. Nicotine, a drug found in all forms of tobacco, is very addictive.

Pregnant women who smoke have a higher risk of having an unhealthy baby than those who do not smoke. New mothers who smoke put their babies at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), poor lung development, asthma, and infections.

Tobacco use occurs in the form of cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless (spit) tobacco. Kids need to be educated about the harmful effects of tobacco. Bring up the subject of tobacco use. This can be done when you see or hear things about tobacco on TV, on advertisement billboards, t-shirts, hats, or in magazines. Explain that buying tobacco is a waste of money and that the tobacco companies target advertisements toward young people in order to hook another generation of tobacco users. Tell them tobacco kills about a half million people each year. More people die from tobacco-related illnesses than from car accidents, alcohol, AIDS, suicides, homicides, fires, and illegal drugs combined. Let kids know that tobacco use will stain teeth and dental fillings, cause their clothes and hair to smell, cause tooth decay, tooth loss, gum disease, bad breath, and will dull their sense of taste. Young people may be more receptive to the fact that their boyfriend or girlfriend may think they have bad breath or stained teeth than the number of deaths caused by tobacco use. Tobacco use does not improve athletic ability, increase popularity, or make one appear grown-up.

by Denise J. Fedele, DMD, MS

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.